Best practice & research. Clinical anaesthesiology
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Sep 2005
ReviewThe concept of anaesthetic-induced cardioprotection: clinical relevance.
Experimental evidence has clearly demonstrated that volatile anaesthetic agents have direct protective properties against reversible and irreversible ischaemic myocardial damage. These properties have been related to a direct preconditioning effect but also to an effect on the extent of reperfusion injury. ⋯ This potential application of anaesthetic agents has only recently been explored, and its applicability in clinical practice is the subject of ongoing research. This review summarizes the current knowledge on this subject.
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Anaesthetic agents display remarkable neuroprotective potential; here, we describe the evidence supporting its use and highlight areas for future development of the field. In particular the application of isoflurane and/or xenon as inhalational neuroprotectants is advocated and evidence for the neuroprotection provided by barbiturates and suppression of cerebral metabolic rate is discussed.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Sep 2005
ReviewInert gases as the future inhalational anaesthetics?
Of all the inert gases, only xenon has considerable anaesthetic properties under normobaric conditions. Its very low blood/gas partition coefficient makes induction of and emergence from anaesthesia more rapid compared with other inhalational anaesthetics. ⋯ Xenon causes several physiological changes, which mediate protection of the brain or myocardium. The use of xenon might therefore be beneficial in certain clinical situations, as in patients at high risk for neurological or cardiac damage.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Sep 2005
ReviewLow flow and economics of inhalational anaesthesia.
Even when anaesthesia does not represent a major part of the expense of a given surgical operation, reducing costs is not negligible because the large number of patients passing through a department of anaesthesia accounts for a huge annual budget. Volatile anaesthetics contribute 20% of the drug expenses in anaesthesia, coming just behind the myorelaxants; however, the cost of halogenated agents has potential for savings because a significant part of the delivered amount is wasted when a non- or partial-rebreathing system is used. The cost of inhaled agents is related to more than the amount taken up; it also depends on their market prices, their relative potencies, the amount of vapour released per millilitre of liquid, and last but not least the fresh-gas flow rate (FGF) delivered to the vaporizer--the most important factor determining the cost of anaesthesia. ⋯ Isoflurane, the cheapest generic agent, might be advantageous for maintenance of anaesthesia of less than 3 hours. Sevoflurane is the agent of choice for inhalational induction and might also be used for maintenance. Desflurane might be preferred for long anaesthetics where rapid recovery will generate savings in the PACU.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Sep 2005
ReviewMechanisms of general anesthesia: from molecules to mind.
Despite the widespread presence of clinical anesthesiology in medical practice, the mechanism by which diverse inhalational agents result in the state of general anesthesia remains unknown. Over recent decades, our understanding of general anesthetic mechanisms has evolved dramatically from early unitary hypotheses, largely due to the development and influence of a myriad of scientific disciplines ranging from molecular biology to cognitive neuroscience. ⋯ In this chapter, we review the major hypotheses of general anesthetic mechanisms of action and present an expanded overview of current investigation into those mechanisms. We also present a framework to aid in thinking about the actions of these agents, highlighting the relationship between putative targets at the molecular level and the more integrated functional changes in behavior and consciousness.